Five tumours made me a better person

Five tumours made me a better person

A SALTCOATS student struck down with five tumours says having cancer turned out to be the best things that ever happened to her.

Ayesha McGregor, was diagnosed with five tumours and stage three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at just 18-years-old and says it turned her life ‘upside down’.

But now the 21-year-old believes cancer ‘made her a better person’ and says she wouldn’t change things if she could.

Alesha was completing her first year at university when she discovered a massive lump on her neck, which, at the time, she put down to a bad cold.

But when she started getting back pain and the lump persisted she went to the doctors who detected her cancer. Ayesha battled six months of gruelling chemotherapy

and was officially in remission from December 2016.

Since then she has appeared at the Royal Concert Hall and travelled across the country to speak to other patients and survivors.

Ayesha said: “It was a major whirlwind and my world was turned upside down.

“I’m 21 now and a completely different person to who I was before I was diagnosed.

“I have had so many opportunities because of it and done things I would have never done if I didn’t have cancer.

“Now every opportunity that comes I take it because I don’t know when I might get it again I really appreciate life now.

“Having cancer made me a better person, if I could go back in time and somehow not have cancer I wouldn’t do it.”

Now she has plans to complete CLIC Sargent’s 60-mile challenge to raise cash for the group and Kris Boyd’s Charity.

She decided to raise money for both to thank CLIC Sargent for all their help and also provide more mental health support for cancer survivors.

Ayesha will be walking 60 miles over the month because that is the average time young people living with cancer travel to get treatment.

She said: “I also want to raise money for the Kris Boyd charity because I know the mental health impacts cancer has as they are good at helping people talk without feeling weak.

“I’m doing the CLIC Sargent challenge this month which means I will walk over 60 miles over the month because thats how far young people usually have to travel for treatment.

“You can do anything, swim, run, cycle, but I’m going to walk it because my health still isn’t great, it might take me longer than others but I’m going to do it.

“This year marks three years in remission from cancer so I’m planning on visiting Millport a few times throughout the month of September, and walk around the island to get my 60 miles in. It’s going to be a really big challenge for me but I’m really proud to be a part of ‘Team CLIC Sargent’ doing what I can to help the charity. I’ve got first-hand experience of the real difference the charity makes to young people with cancer and their families and thinking of that will get me to the finish line.”

Carol Jones, CLIC Sargent Fundraising Engagement Manager for West of Scotland, said: “When cancer strikes young lives we fight tirelessly to limit the damage it causes beyond their health. We rely entirely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank Ayesha enough for her fantastic efforts.”

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